National Automobile Museum – Schlumpf Collection, Mulhouse, France
Until March 2nd, 2025
The “Rally Legends” exhibition will immerse National Automobile Museum – Schlumpf Collection (Mulhouse, France) visitors into the world of rallying for a few months. Rallying, the emblematic discipline of motor sport, fascinates through its spectacular cars, its varied routes and the closeness between drivers and the public. To celebrate this universe, the Automobile National Museum – Collection Schlumpf in collaboration with Slowly Sideways, presents the “Rally Legends” exhibition. This retrospective brings together a selection of twenty legendary cars from the 1960s to 2000.
On a chronological level, the exhibition starts at the end of the 60s, when rally cars were very close to production models, such as the Peugeot 404, whose robustness was an asset in the long and tough African rallies, the Mini Cooper S (1967), 3-time winner of the Monte-Carlo Rally, the R8 Gordini, cradle of many champions, or the Lancia Fulvia (1967), which was honed over the years up to the famous Fulvia HF 1600. In the early 1970s, the compact, lightweight Alpine A110 was a formidable tool in the hands of the French musketeers, as well as a few Nordic masters. It won the very first World Rally Championship in 1973, and the version on display is the 1974 A 110 1800 Group 4, the ultimate evolution of the Berlinette.
The Lancia Stratos Gr 4 was the first car developed specifically for rallying, although a road version was also offered to obtain homologation (fewer than 500 units were produced in all). It’s also compact, light and features a Ferrari-sourced V6 in a central position. In the 2nd half of the 70s, the Stratos literally dominated the rally world, racking up victories and national and international championships. It left crumbs to its rivals, such as the Renault 5 Alpine Gr 2 (1978) or the Opel Ascona Gr 2 (the car exposed won the 1975 Greek Acropolis Rally in the hands of Walter Röhrl), or the surprising Mercedes 450 SLC, rare in this 1980 Rallye Gr 2 version, but which twice won the Bandama Rally in Côte d’Ivoire.
The 1980s saw the emergence of Group B cars, with turbo engines, 4-wheel drive, bodies “derived” from production models and easier homologation, a period often considered to be the golden age of rallying. But as the seasons went by, the development of engines and aerodynamics led to monstrous cars that were tricky to drive. A succession of accidents led to the withdrawal of the most powerful Group B cars at the end of 1986. “Rally Legends” presents several of these Group B icons, including Audi Quattro Sport, Ford RS200, Lancia Delta S4, Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 and Renault 5 Turbo, as well as Opel Ascona 400, Nissan 240 RS and Porsche 911 SCRS. Michèle Mouton, the exhibition’s godmother, will find with two of her former cars, the Audi Quattro from the 1984 Acropolis Rally, and the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 from the 1986 Monte Carlo Rally, which also enabled her to become German champion in 1986.
The Renault Supercinq GT Turbo, winner of the 1989 Rallye de Côte d’Ivoire (driven by Alain Oreille), has been preserved in its original condition, still covered in African dust! François Delecour achieved his 4 WRC victories (including the 1994 Monte Carlo) with a Group A Ford Escort RS Cosworth, and the car on display is that of his 1993 Catalonia Rally victory. Toyota was a major player in rallying in the 1990s, with its 5th and 6th generation Celicas achieving a fine harvest of victories and national and world titles. The 1997 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205 Gr A is a generation 6, specially adapted for racing with 4-wheel drive and a more powerful engine. The car on display competed in the 1997 Australia Rally.
The legend ends with a leap forward in time, with the Citroën C4 WRC. The car featured in the exhibition is the one with which Sébastien Loeb won the 2010 Rallye de France, which also gave him his 7th World Rally Championship title. This model is indeed a legend, as the French champion has often said that this title, won in his native Alsace, was one of his fondest memories!.
In a rally, assistance is crucial, so it’s logical to find here a VW Transporter LT45, Walter Röhrl’s assistance vehicle at Rallye Monte Carlo 1986. Complemented by never-before-seen archive images, the always spectacular rally photos, videos and, of course, typical rally artefacts such as maps and the cars’ famous rally plates, this immersive exhibition offers visitors a fascinating plunge into more than half a century of prowess and emotion.
The photos on this page belong to the National Automobile Museum, no right of reproduction without the express permission of the museum.